Frederick grinnell



(No Model.)

P GRINNELL AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

N0. 6Q O,246. Patented Mar. 8, 1898.

JAM ,2

Wv'i'n & ave-I Nrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR TO THE GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC FlRE-EXTlNGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,246, dated March 8, 1898.

Application filed April 20, 1896.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full, .clear, and exact description thereof.

One of the difficulties heretofore encountered in automaticsprinkler construction is the liability of the valve to become stuck to its seat either by corrosion of the parts or by the accumulation of foreign matters forming a cement-like substance. This liability necessarily varies according to circumstances and the conditions to which the sprinkler is subjected. In some cases, as where the sprinkler is installed in a room or building where acids are employed or Where large quantities of foreign matters are present, the danger of the valve adhering or becoming stuck to its seat, and so that the pressure of the water will not remove it even when the holding devices are entirely released, is very great, the valve often becoming thus stuck or cemented to its seat after a very short exposure.

The object of the present invention is to insure the prompt and certain opening of the valve of an automatic sprinkler when the holding devices are released, notwithstanding any corrosion or adhesion which may have occurred.

To that end the invention consists, primarily, in the employment of a spherical valve in combination with suitable heat-controlled means for forcibly rocking or tipping said valve upon its seat, thereby rupturing any joint or connection which may have been formed between the valve and its seat and enabling the valve to be readily thrown off by the pressure of the water as soon as the holding devices are released.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the nozzle and frame of a sprinkler, of a spherical valve having a projecting stem,said valve and valve-stem being clamped between the nozzle and frame to positively and rigidly hold said valve to its seat, and

Serial No. 588,227. (No model.)

suitable heat-controlled means adapted to dislodge or forcibly remove said valve-stem from its engagement with the frame and at the same time rock or tip the said spherical valve upon its seat, so as to rupture any connection that may have been formed between the valve and seat.

The invention further consists in certain combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an automatic sprinkler embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation, and Fig. 4 a central vertical section, of a modified construction; and Fig. 5 is an elevation,

partly in section, of a sprinkler embodying.

another form of means for dislodging the valve-stem and rocking the valve.

The sprinkler shown in the drawings comprises a nozzle A, screw-threaded at a for at tachment to a distributingpipe and also screw-threaded at its delivery end, as at a, for the adjustment thereon of the frame B. The valve 17 is a spherical valve, fitting a correspondingly-formed seat at the end of the nozzle A, and is provided with a projecting stem 0. A projection 61 is formed upon the frame B, against which the end of the valvestem 0 abuts. By turning the frame upon the nozzle the valve will be firmly clamped to its seat and securely held in its closed position.

Any suitable form of heat-controlled means may be employed for rocking or tipping the valve upon its seat. Two forms of such means are shown in the drawings. In the sprinkler shown in Figs. 1 to 4:, inclusive, a heat-actuated expansion device of that type which comprises a chamber or casing containing an expansive material and a rod or plunger fitted therein is employed. The expansion device is secured to the frame of the sprinkler, being attached at one side of the frame in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and at the end of the frame in the form shown in Figs. 3 and 5 4. The frame is provided with an enlarged boss or projection e, screw-threaded at its outer end, through which extends a hole or opening e for the reception of the rod or plunger f of the expansion device, the casing 2 r 600,246 I g g of the expansion device being screwed onto the boss 6, all as shown in Figs 2 and 4. The expansive material contained in the easing g may be of any suitable material or composition of materials which will expand promptly and effectively at the desired degree of temperature and is confined in position by ahead 9 fitted in the casing g and having an aperture for the passage of the rod f. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1- and 2 the rod f is arranged so that itwill be in contact with or when moved will come in contact with the side of the valve-stem. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and l-the rod f is arranged so that it will be in contact with or when moved will come in contact with the end of the valve-stem, and in this latterarrangement the end of the rod f is beveled, as shown.

When now heat is applied to the sprinkler, the expansion of the material in the casing of the expansion device will force outward the rod or plunger f, which in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will in turn push against the side of the valve-stem c. The first movement of the plunger will cause the spherical valve b to be forcibly rocked on its seat, thereby effectively rupturing any joint or connection that may have been formed between the valve and'seat, and the continued movement of the plunger will serve to release the valve by dislodging the end of the valve-stem from its engagement with the frame, thereby permit- 1 ting said valve to be opened by the pressure of the water. In the form shown in Figs-3 and 4c the first movement of the rod or plunger f will likewise serve to forcibly rock the valve upon its seat, the beveled end of said plunger as it advances serving to force the end of the valve-stem to one side, and the continued movement of the plunger will dislodge the end of the valve-stem from engagement with the frame and thus release the valve.

In the form shownin Fig. 5 aspring-plunger normally restrained from acting by some heatactuated device is employed as the means for rocking and disengaging the valve. The rod or plunger ftis supported in a casing g, screwed onto the boss e. One end of the rod f projects into the hole e and the other end projects throughthe end of the casing g. A spiral spring h surrounds the rod f, one end of said-sprin g bearing against the end of the casing and the other end bearing against the collar 2', secured to said rod. A- key or block it is secured to the end of the casing g by fusible solder, the end of said key engaging a notch formed in the rod f, all as shown in Fig. 5. The construction and arrangement of parts are such that the plunger f is normally held retracted and the spring h compressed. Upon the application of heat, however, the key is released, and the plunger f, being shot forward by the spring h, strikes the valve-stem and knocks it out from engagement of the frame, the valve 6 being at the same time rocked upon its seat, so as to rupture any connection between the valve and its seat due to corrosion or adhesion.

With the construction and arrangement of partsabove described it will be seen that the valve is positively clamped and .held to its seat independent of any fusible or heat-controlled device, and that by the action of the heat-controlled device in releasing said valve it is necessarily rocked upon its seat in such a way as to insure the complete rupturing of any joint or connection between the valve and its seat due to corrosion or adhesion and so that the valve will always be promptly. removed by the pressure of the water whenever the holding device is released.

It will be further seen that with the construction and arrangement shown, in which the valve-stem forms the holding device, any movement of the valve-stem under the action of the heat-controlled device short of its complete dislodgment will not cause any releasing of the valve and will consequently not be attended by any leakage, because although the valve-stem is connected with the valve. and so that any movement of the valve-stem will be accompanied by a rocking movement of the valve such movement of the valve, by reason of its spherical form, does not effect any opening of the valve or permit the escape of any water, but instead the valve is kept tightly closed until the valve-stem is wholly and completely dislodged from engagement with the frame or fixed abutment, when the valve is suddenly and completely released. In other words, the valve-stem and valve must be wholly and completely released before any water can escape, and consequently all danger of retarding or preventing the opening of the sprinkler by escaping water chilling the heat-controlled device before they have performed their function of releasing the valve is avoided. This feature is not of so much importance where a spring held compressed by a fusible-solder connection is employed to dislodge the valve-stem, because in such case the force of the spring will serve to completely rupture the fusible-solder connection when it becomes softened under the action of heat and at the same time will act to throw forward with aquick and sudden movement the rod or part which-serves to dislodge the valve-stem and so that the valve-stem will not be acted upon until after the solderjoint has been completely ruptured and will then be quickly and suddenly dislodged.

'When an expansion device, however, is employed for dislodging the valve-stem, the movement of the rod or part which acts against the valve-stem, and consequently the movement of the valve-stem and valve during the process of dislodgment, is a' slow and gradual movement, with the result that if such movementof the parts were accompanied by a corresponding opening of the valve and escape of water the escaping water would IOO serve to chill the expansion device and so as g to retard or prevent its further action and thus retard or prevent the complete openin g of the sprinkler. With such an expansiondevice arrangement, therefore, the capacity of the valve to move or to rock upon its seat without opening and Without permitting any escape of water is of great importance.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closing said outlet, and means made operative by the action of heat for rocking and releasing said valve, substantially as described.

2. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closin g said outlet, means for adjusting said valve firmly to its seat, and means made operative by the action of heat for rocking and releasing said valve, substantially as described.

3. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closing said outlet, an expansion device adapted to act on the application of heat for engaging said valve and rocking it on its seat, substantially as described.

at. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closing said outlet, a frame or abutment, a valve stem connected with said valve and bearing against said abutment, and means made operative by the action of heat for dislodging or forcibly removing said valve-stem from engagement with said abutment, substantially as described.

5. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closing said outlet, a frame or abutment, a valvestem connected with said valve and bearing against said abutment, and means made operative by the action of heat for rocking said valve upon its seat and dislodging or forcibly removing said valve-stem from engagement with said abutment, substantially as described.

6. An automatic fireextinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve 010s in g said outlet, a frame or abutment, a valvestem connected with said valve and bearing against said abutment, means for adjusting the valve firmly to its seat, and means made operative by the action of heat for dislodging the valve-stem and rocking the valve upon its seat, substantially as described.

7. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closing said outlet, a frame or abutment, a valvestem connected with said valve and bearing against said abutment, and an expansion device adapted to act upon the application of heat to dislodge or forcibly remove said valvestem from engagement with said abutment and rock said valve upon its seat, substantially as described.

8. An automatic fire-extinguisher comprising a nozzle or outlet, a spherical valve closin g said outlet, a frame or abutment, a valvestem connected with said valve and bearing against said frame and an expansion device secured to said frame, and having its movable part arranged in line with said valvestem, whereby upon the application of heat the movable part of said expansion device will act to dislodge said valve-stem from engagement with the frame and rock said valve upon its seat, substantially as described.

FREDERICK GRINNELL.

WVitnesses:

W. H. THURSTON, R. A. BATES. 

